2024 is shaping up to be a tough one for insurance agencies. GDP growth and increasing inflation will continue to impact the insurance sector. There is a 3.9% unemployment rate to consider and shifting consumer sentiment. These factors may have played a big role if you struggled to keep your agency on track this year. This means it is time to re-focus your daily operations around your existing customers.

For your insurance agency, customer retention is the key to success during tough times. You still need to acquire new accounts, but when you retain your existing customers, it’s easier to weather the coming storms.

This is especially important, considering that modern insurance customers have many choices. They do not have to stay loyal to you because another insurance agency can provide the same coverage. And they could even receive that coverage at a lower premium. So, how do you build loyalty by retaining customers? An often-overlooked strategy is sending out automated renewal reminders. Something as simple as sending out a reminder on time can help retain customers without doing anything more.

Customer Retention Is a Challenge In the Insurance Industry

Customer churn (losing customers) has always been a challenge in the industry. Additionally, it costs agencies five times more to gain a new customer than to keep an existing one. This shows how serious this situation can become. If you start losing customers and have to fork out more money to attract new ones, you will soon have a massive problem.

Customers leave insurance agencies for several reasons. These include the following:

• Price: When economic times are tough, people tend to scale down on insurance. This means they will start looking for cheaper options and switch to another provider if they offer a better deal.
• Radio silence: This is very common in the insurance sector. Once a customer is signed up and their first premium goes off, they do not hear from the provider again. Until the renewal date comes around, that is.
• Complicated renewal process: Some agencies have not upgraded their systems to include an automated renewal process. This can lead to frustration because customers cannot renew their coverage easily. Instead, they have to go through a long-winded process, which may cause them to go elsewhere.
• Poor customer service: This is another big reason why customers jump ship. A single negative customer service experience can cause a customer to cancel their policy and find another provider.

 

The Importance of Automated Renewal Reminders

This is why automated renewal reminders are crucial for your agency. You can offer your customers something new (and affordable) each time they upgrade. It gives them more value for money. You can also simplify the renewal process, reducing frustration. Automated reminders typically come as a feature of a modern agency management system. So, if you upgrade your outdated system, you will get this functionality at no extra cost.

When you offer your customers a modern insurance experience, you motivate them to support you. This means by having something as straightforward as a timely renewal reminder, you can:

• Increase renewals: Reminders are a friendly notification to customers to continue with their existing policy. Your customers are busy people, too, and they will appreciate the nudge to prevent an unintentional insurance lapse.
• Boost engagement: You can use automated reminders as a channel to stay in contact with your customers. You do not only have to remind them to keep paying once a year. Employ these reminders as marketing messages to promote time-sensitive and limited insurance offers. Or use them to remind customers how your claims process works. Subtle changes to reminders can make all the difference to customer engagement.
• Reduce the cost of admin: Automation will allow your agents to focus on other tasks.
• Upsell when appropriate: When introducing new products with your renewal reminder, you increase the chances of upselling.

 

How To Make The Most Of Automated Renewal Reminders

Sending reminders does not mean sending a bulk email to your customer base. You have to personalize each reminder according to each customer. Using the right insurance agency management system makes this easy. Management systems constantly analyze data to help you tailor your reminders. You have all the information you need, like existing coverage and previous claims, to help you generate the perfect reminder. You can use email, text, or even a good old-fashioned telephone call to remind your customers their renewal date is coming up. When it comes to communicating with your customers, using the right channel at the right time is crucial.

The Best Time To Start Using Renewal Reminders is Now

If you have not yet upgraded to an insurance agency management system with the ability to automate these reminders, now is the time. JenesisNow is one of the most trusted and reliable management systems available today. You can use it to create automated reminders on time while enjoying several other exciting features. With the right system, you can improve customer retention and ultimately help your agency succeed. Interested in seeing more? Request a demo, today!

 

In the 1970s, the Association for Operations Research and Development (ACORD) was established. This non-profit saw the need for standardized insurance forms worldwide and created the ACORD certificate of insurance, which was intended to streamline insurance processes and is still used by insurance agencies around the globe.

ACORD presented the inaugural paper form in 1971, which led to a domino effect of standardizing forms in the insurance sector. In 2024, insurance agencies have the option of several ACORD formats, including e-Forms and PDF.

These forms also create the foundation for a successful insurance agency. They help smooth communication between agents, carriers, and clients. They also facilitate easy data exchange. And, with the help of JenesisNow, you never have to worry about your ACORD processes again. JenesisNow is an insurance agency management system that gives you all the tools you need to manage ACORD forms properly.

 

Understanding the Different ACORD Forms

Your insurance agency uses specific ACORD forms, depending on the services you offer. These pre-populated forms are one of the best ways to ensure you collect data consistently across different platforms.

Some of the most common ACORD forms are:

• ACORD 25: This is a certificate of liability insurance form. It describes the contract signed between clients and agencies. ACORD 25 is a must-have for potential disputes and legal security.
• ACORD 26: This form is called a Policy Certification Log. It represents the record of soft copies related to a client’s coverage.
• ACORD 27: Evidence of property insurance falls under ACORD 27. It is a visualization of loss payees. It also offers an overview of insurance for mortgages.
• ACORD 28: This ACORD form provides information about loss payees and additional insured persons. It gives details of mortgage insurance and relates to the evidence of commercial property insurance form.
• ACORD 80: Homeowners will have an ACORD 80 form in their files. This form is used for underwriting and details the insurance amount payable due to a homeowner’s claim.

 

ACORD 90 is used for automotive information, while ACORD 125 covers commercial insurance policies. ACORD 126 relates to commercial general liability, and ACORD 127 helps retain client information.

Meanwhile, ACORD 130 represents workers’ compensation insurance, while ACORD 131 holds data on liability coverage. Finally, ACORD 140 is required for property insurance (commercial).

 

How JenesisNow Can Help You Manage ACORD Forms

Consider the number of forms used in insurance, can your agency cope with managing them manually? JenesisNow takes the stress out of using ACORD forms. Some of the system’s primary functions include the following:

• Pre-population: The JenesisNow system integrates with your customer data. This means the system can use client and policy information to populate ACORD form fields.
• Dynamic selection: The system can also help you find the correct ACORD form based on client policies.
• Conditional logic: JenesisNow can hide irrelevant form sections so that only the relevant ones appear.
• Electronic signatures: Agents and clients can sign ACORD forms electronically using the JenesisNow system.
• Excellent document management: With JenesisNow, you have a central storage place to securely store forms.
• Automation: You can also trigger tasks like sending forms or getting a notification when receiving a form.

 

Benefits of Using JenesisNow To Manage ACORD Forms

With JenesisNow’s features, your agents will become increasingly efficient. With time-saving options like dynamic selection and pre-population, they will have more than enough time to focus on client service. And you can keep your attention on growing your agency without worrying about your client data.

Furthermore, pre-population helps prevent human error. This, in turn, will streamline the process of policy issuance. Faster turnaround times will create a positive customer experience, which will help you retain more clients. The JenesisNow system works hard to empower you to serve each client efficiently.

JenesisNow’s document system allows you to organize your forms and access them easily. You no longer need physical storage for printed forms, saving space in your agency. Overall, the JenesisNow management system aims to help your team get more done faster.

 

Even More JenesisNow Benefits

JenesisNow includes training resources to help your team get up to speed with the Acord form features. These resources will also allow them to design workflows that fit with agency requirements. Client data will always be up-to-date and well-maintained, ensuring a well-rounded customer experience.

You can also use JenesisNow’s advanced features to get your agency running even smoother. You can integrate the system with several other third-party applications. You will always receive update notifications to ensure you are using the latest software.

 

JenesisNow Is Your ACORD Form Partner

If you want to get your ACORD form processes on track in 2024, look no further than JenesisNow. The system offers a user-friendly interface, dashboard, and all the features your agency needs. Invest in JenesisNow and allow your agents to spend valuable time helping you build your business. This way, you upskill your team and meet client expectations. Ready to learn more? Request a demo, today!